Pro audio power amps

Discussion in 'Power Amps' started by thegunner100, Dec 19, 2015.

  1. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    I'm not sure if their pricing is in CAD dollars... if so, then it's definitely a better deal.
     
  2. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
  3. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    that is a great price. kinda tempted. i actually was looking on info again on that and while browsing american music supply where i buy usually, they no longer have the original dcx2496 :(

    they have the dcx2496 LE version now. 250 is not bad but, i wonder if uses same type of dac chips and processor as the original version. i know there is ton of online mods and so forth of the original dcx2496 processor but, i don't think any of that would of been put into the new version especially if it's a ''lite'' version of the same thing.
     
  4. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    The LE version loses the card slot (who cares), the serial port (who cares?), but also loses the digital AES input (maybe matters). As far as I know, nothing else has "improved".

    A similar product I've been curious about is the ART SMS226: http://artproaudio.com/crossovers_processors/product/sms226/
    ART is a subset of Yorkville and is Canadian made, but there is practically zero info out there on this thing.
     
  5. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    looks very classy and interesting. seems only thing mention is in the specs. just mentions it's features and seems to have all crossover versions but up to 4th order only(which fine by me to be honest). i just wonder cost and what type of processor it uses. it probably is more in upper class range though compared to behringer i can assume but, can't say since i can't find much info on it either besides anything on he site.

    EDIT: well found price. 459 bucks US dollars. i saw one site for 449 pounds which is crazy high compared to US pricing.
     
  6. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    The Behringer is cheap in the US. In Canada the DCX2496 is about $450 while the SMS226 is $500 so the difference is much smaller. Come to think of it, up here the cheapest DBX Driverack isn't much more than that either.

    The Behringer is the only one I have experience with though.

    If you're curious about a modded one, I saw this: http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/deta...er-dcx2496-crossover-unit-modified-for-hi-fi/
    which is about $230 USD.
     
  7. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    noooooo....the new dcx went to the dark side by going from using akm converters to cirrus logic converters....was looking at one again since i been comteplating just ordering a new one and read it switched over....dang it. there is also an echo audiofire 8 local for only 50 bucks! but, it's the first older models without the optical connectors so that means it uses a cirrus logic as well so it probably sound way different than my echo 2 which is a ak chip..
     
  8. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,999
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Tempe, Arizona
    Still waiting on what Schiit has in store ; )
     
  9. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    but, isn't schitt consumer based? i don't think they're gonna dabble into the pro audio world. if so, that'll be very interesting.
     
  10. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,999
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Tempe, Arizona
    lol I only said it because one, I am keen on what 2 channel products they bring to the table but also, they were in the thread when I commented...coincidence? I think not!
     
  11. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Is that the new LE model, or have they switched all of them over?
     
  12. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    le model it seems. i think though they they plan on replacing the original with all le models though which kinda sucks. have you ever messed with rane crossovers? i know rane makes some good stuff. reason i ask. i'm meeting my friend tomorrow. actually gonna trade off my altec 511b horns and 808-8b drivers to him to pass it along and give it to someone i know that can use them. i'm keeping my large EV HR9040 horns though and my altec 921-8a 16'' woofers. just gonna invest in 1.4'' drivers. was gonna buy adapters but, after contemplating past couple months, i said nah, just go all the way.

    i'm going to be getting couple of carver amps off of him. one of them is a pro amp of course but other is consumer model but, it sounded fantastic when the time he brought it over and i been looking for more back up amps to keep around too. he bought a rane ac22 something for 25 bucks. not much info online cept that it seems like a pretty good active crossover but, have read little issue that it uses what is called push in caps or something and can run way off balance over time or something. cause just wondering cause i might grab that as well maybe but, i think the amps by themselves is a very fair trade. i'm going to his place tomorrow to check out his stuff. he has lot of tube stuff too but, i don't think he'll trade any of that since he loves tubes.
     
  13. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    i'm very interested what they'll do too. while i never used a schitt product besides the sys passive attenuator, that i actually liked, they are respectable company that makes very good quality stuff, especially for the money. i wonder if one day they'll make a passive balanced volume controller or a nice balanced standalone preamp. i know jbl use to make a balanced xlr passive controller for their active monitors but, can't get them unless you order pair of monitors with a studio package anymore it seems.
     
  14. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    I only know of Rane stuff through reputation (which is generally very good). Their gear is very hard to find locally up here.
     
  15. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    same pretty much. alrighty then. should be going to his place bit later on probably afternoon or so. will look at it when i get there. i might just give him my jbl 3160 crossover boxes maybe because i find the carver amps themselves a pretty fair trade and i all i want really but, i will look at what else he has. probably give his carver amazings a listen too. i always rather use active then passive and might use the rane crossover for my model 14's and bypass the passive. i don't need the hf or mid range attenuation. always pretty much leave them at optimal/defeat basically. i love and and can live with my model 14's reason i'm passing along my larger altec horns too. tired of having it sit in the closet doing nothing. was in there for good few months.

    thing is i always wanted to grab hold of phase linear amps. know that what bob carver first started on in his career and do know bout them being called ''flame linear' due to no protection circuits and when they go, they really go and takes your speakers with them. i see them a lot and even had a beat up phase linear 700 local for super cheap but, knowing it needed work and how even perfect ones need a slight modification(which i read is pretty easy) for speaker protection add on i kinda passed on them for now. one day i probably work the courage and buy one. just have too much valuable speakers and speaker parts around..i think i just need invest cheap 20 buck goodwill find or something for testing purposes. but, anyhoo, i probably check the crossover when i see him.
     
  16. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    I've heard a danger with Carver amps has something to do with wonky power supply rails, and if a tech doesn't know and treats it like a regular amp it'll go boom.
     
  17. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    i know bout the early phase linears but, the others with the ''carver'' name seem to do fine from reading i did and chatting around. i know carver did some type of weird rail switching with his amps and so forth but, some people i know i talked to said they never had issues with besides minor. some of the stuff was even used for sound reinforcement but, only complaint there is supposedly they're ''ac'' line sensitive compared to other amps but, in my time never dealt with a horrible ac line yet(i got lucky i guess)...i don't plan on driving insane heavy loads with these like 2ohms or lower. i leave my crowns for that job. i was just thinking of picking up the two carver amps cause i actually liked them when i used them. i know the phase linears though have real bad rep due to no speaker protection so when they blow, they really blow up and catch on fire and will send your speakers in flames too hench name ''flame linear''. i know he had some lemons. supposedly the m1.0t's and 1.5t's were the worst since they were loaded with op-amps but, i never saw one before.
     
  18. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    i went to my friends earlier today and.....holy poop he has a gold mine of audio hording lol. should see all the tube power amps,preamps and even ham radios he has. has tons of silver faced nice receivers and tons of turn tables....mean a ton........his basement was even filled with all audio stuff....was like a fat kid at a chocolate factory...i i thought he was kidding when he said he had a lot of stuff collected over the years....even had tons of eq's,tape decks and cd players sitting around. even lot of stuff still in the box.

    he told me to look around and choose but....i just went and got what i wanted off of him. i wanted his carver pm600 and tfm 24 power amp and even got the little rane ac22 active crossover too. only tested the amps since it's super late. the pm600 sounds better than i remember but, this time around i'm running it fully balanced instead of mixing unbalanced connectors with balanced sources and pres.... the pm600 is really nice clean sounding amp and even low volumes it is great sounding. it wide open is dead silent. i think it has a s/n ratio of 106db.... gonna give the tfm 24 a listen tonight later on or probably tomorrow. i need to clean up to make room since the carvers can't be stacked really on top of another like my other stuff. will play with the crossover tomorrow to see if it works.
     
  19. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Your Carvers are heating up? My PM-1.5 is always cool to the touch, although granted it's got a fan in it. I had it mounted in a tight 6U box with another amp and other gear with no heat issues.
     
  20. Rex Aeterna

    Rex Aeterna Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    212
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cinnaminson, nj
    no. just i noticed the pm 600 even though pro it is conventional cool and only ventilation is on the top above the heatsinks and on the side. even stacked it ran nice and cool still. the tfm-24 ran bit warmer but, it being class a/b amp and i think runs the inputs at class a or something it gets a tad bit warmer.

    i know some complained bout the tfm's having no bass or something but, it sounded fine to me on my model 14's. it was late but i think it had a bit sweeter and bit warmer in the top-end than the carver pm-600 but, again it was really late and i still had to get up early in the morning. was late night for me cause i lost track of time. the pm-600 really performed nicely and i might keep it in rotation as main amp right now since it was so dead quiet... i know the tfm's were tuned to sound like a tube amp and even carver admitted on altering the input signal that's meant to come in. i think he just managed to produce very little to no negative feedback to the amp. my harman kardon hk 775 mono blocks were bit of same way..

    but, naw, they ran super cool. i just need to re-organized due to not having a lagit rack. everything is stacked on each other and kinda concerned on weight.
     

Share This Page